Completed Computing & AI Public Health & Healthcare

Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI & Digital Health Technologies (CERSI-AI)

Funder MRC (part of UKRI)
Recipient organisation University of Birmingham
Funding £950K
Period Feb 2025 — Mar 2026

In plain English

AI plain-English summary

The UK is building a centre to rewrite the rules for artificial intelligence in healthcare before the technology outpaces the regulations meant to keep it safe. Regulators currently lack the scientific expertise to assess novel AI and digital health tools—they cannot easily judge whether a new algorithm is safe, fair, or cost-effective. This gap slows down innovation or, worse, lets flawed products reach patients. The Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI-AI) will connect regulators, researchers, and industry experts to develop the scientific methods needed to evaluate these technologies rigorously and efficiently. If successful, the centre could transform how the NHS and other health systems adopt AI. Instead of waiting years for regulatory approval, safe and effective digital tools—from diagnostic algorithms to remote monitoring apps—could move from concept to clinic faster. The work also aims to ensure these technologies do not widen health inequalities or prove unsustainable for public budgets. The project is applied, not fundamental science: its goal is to make regulation itself faster, smarter, and more evidence-based, not to discover new biological mechanisms.

View original technical description
The UK has a unique opportunity to lead the way in the rapidly growing fields of artificial intelligence (Al) and digital healthcare. To consolidate its position as a global leader in this field, the UK needs to ensure regulation is optimised to accelerate innovation ('pro-innovation') whilst also ensuring these technologies are safe, cost-effective, equitable, and sustainable ('responsible innovation'). Regulatory science utilises scientific methodology to support this optimisation process, but most regulators currently lack this expertise 'in-house', especially for novel and advanced technologies. Ensuring regulators strike this balance will be the remit of the UK Centre of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI) for Al and Digital HealthTech. Our CERSI will bring together experts working in different sectors to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, safety, fairness, and sustainability of regulation and innovation. It will do so by connecting experts and supporting their ability to work together on pressing scientific questions which have the capability to streamline regulatory assessments and policy, facilitating a faster translation of these technologies from concept to consumer whilst upholding and enhancing principles around safety and equity. "

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Researchers

Alastair Denniston (Principal Investigator)

Related Research

Grants with similar aims, by meaning.

UK Regulatory Science and Innovation Network in AI & Digital Health Technologies
CERSI for the Digital Transformation of Medicines Development and Manufacturing
UK CEiRSI - The UK's Centre of Excellence on In-silico Regulatory Science and Innovation - Pilot Phase
UK Centre of Excellence in in-silico Regulatory Science and Innovation supporting the Entire Product Lifecycle in Life and Health Sciences – A network of enabling national capabilities
RADIANT: Regulatory Science Empowering Innovation in Transformative Digital Health and AI.

Original classification

Partnership and Contribution

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